Collapsible toy house



H. DE L. HAPSON. COLLAPSIBLE TOY HOUSE.

APPLICATION FILED oer-14. 1920.

Patented Aug. 2, 1-921.

[HI/enfor- Mani DFIMu 6040M [A7 r'/ I AI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOBART DE LANCEY RAPSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COLLAPSIBLE TOY HOUSE.

T 0 an whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOBART DE LANCEY RArsoN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Collapsible Toy Houses, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction of collapsible dolls house which shall embody simplicity and cheapness and which, moreover permits quick erection with accuracy of a justment of the parts relatively to each other.

My object is further to provide a construction of a cardboard dolls house which will provide a number of rooms which are open on opposite sides so that children thereat can cooperatively play.

.My object is further to provide a multlroom house so constructed that all of the rooms may be brought to the same plane but which may be collapsed to provide a closely compacted cardboard structure which 00- cupies relatively little space and which may be packed andshipped without the least danger of injury.

In the preferred construction of my 1mproved toy house, the various surfaces are printed in colors to represent the roofing, the outside windows and masonr work, the rugs and general wall and ceiling decorationson the interior, all of which gives to the entire structure not only an ornamental appearance suitable for the purpose for which the article is employed, but also imparts to the structure an appearance of being already half furnished before the toy furn1- ture, etc., is added. 7

For the purpose of illustrating my inven tion I have shown in the accompanying drawings the embodiment thereof which is atpresent preferred by me, since the same is in form to give satisfactory and reliable results, but it is to be understood that the several instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and; organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities herein shown and described.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevat on of my improved collapsible toy house in its erected condition; Fig. 2 is a planview of the same Fig, 3 is a perspective view of the same; Fig. 4 is a side view Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

Application filed October 14, 1920. Serial 110,416,976.

illustrating the device in the process of being completely collapsed; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a detail.

In general, the structure is composed of cardboard or other material bent in definite shapes and glued or stapled together so that the entire structure is practically integral, but with capacity of being collapsed by flexibility at certain of the bends or joints. 2 is a rectangular cardboard structure open at opposite ends, but. providing a ceiling portion 6 and a fioor portion 8. In addition to its rectangular form, it is creased transversely at 7 in the ceiling portion 6 and at 9 in the floor portion 8, said creases permitting the said parts 6 and 8 to fold upwardly in the middle when bringing the side portions 5 together, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 4. WVhen this structure 2 is extended, it is rectangular, as shown in Fig. 1. In addition to the rectangular part 2, there are similar rectangular parts 3 and 4 which are formed of bent cardboard strips with the free edges united, as at 15, said united parts forming a two-ply rigid overhanging portion which might be considered as the caves of a roof. These rectangular parts 3 and 4 are respectively placed at opposite ends of the part 2 and glued to them, as indicated adjacent to the walls 5.

In addition to these three rectangular parts 2, 3 and 4, there is an additional inverted V shaped part 10 which constitutes a peaked roof having the ridge 11. The lower ends of the roof structure 10 areglued between the abutting sides of the parts 2, 3 and 4, as indicated at 14. It will be understood that when the part 2 is folded by bringing the side walls 5, 5, toward each other and with the hinged parts 7 and 9 move upward, the ridge 11 of the roof 10 also acts as a hinge as the roof folds, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 4. To heighten the effect of the roof structure, I prefer to provide the roof part 10 with a rectangular aperture 12 through which is inserted a rectangular chimney part 13 which not only gives the appearance of a chimney but also acts as a strut to hold the ceiling 6 horizontal and give somewhat more rigidity. This chimney may snugly fit the aperture 12, so as to provide a frictional contact therewith. The side walls 5., being double ply, are quite rigid and give considerable strength to the structure as a whole and these walls may be provided with doorways 21 (Fig. 3), if so desired, to still further heighten the appearance of the house structure and also permit the passing of the dolls from one room to another.

The roof part 10, as well as the top portions 20 of the room compartments 3 and 4L, are printed to represent shingles or roofing structure and while the parts 2, 3 and 1 constitute rooms, the part above the ceiling 6 and inclosed by the peaked roof 10 constitutes an attic, which still further provides suggestions forv the childrens play. The

construction of the parts 3 and 1 is such that all of the four corners constitute hinges so that at the same time that the central part 2 collapses sidewise, somewhat on a bellows principle, the side portions 3 and 4 are collapsed by swinging upward, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 4:.

-lVhile the foregoing describes the general structure of the house proper, addi-- 7 tional stability and artistic appearanceisiir sured by the provision of the end pieces 16 which are hinged to the vertical outer wall.

17 of the room portions 3 and 4-. These parts 16 are preferably printed to represent fence and gate structures with foliage and their upper ends 18 project sufficiently to engage notches 19 in the overhanging eave portions 15 when the collapsed room portions 3 and at are lowered in bringing'the structure to the erected position, all of which will be understood by reference to Figs. 3 and'5. When the part 18 is engaged in the notch 19, the part 16 will be at right angles to the wall 17 and will assist in giving rigidity to the ends of the erected structure as a whole, and this isdesirable, since the walls 17 are of single ply and consequently liable to become creased and broken. The

7 parts 16 act as braces for these wall portions 17 and also aid by their weight in holding the said parts down to a horizontal position when the device is erected. It will be further understood that when the structure is collapsed, these parts 16 are folded flat 7 against the face of'the wall portions 17, so

that the whole collapsed structure takes very little space and may be easily transferred through the mails or packed for shipment without any danger of injury.

From the general construction shown and described, it will be apparent that as there are no sides to the house structure when erected, the whole device is so constituted that all of the main parts swing in the same plane and hence may be quickly collapsed and as quicklyextendedinto erected form, and the said operations are so simple that a; child may readily perform the necessary operations. It will also be seen that by having no sides to the building structure, all of the interior is readily exposed at either side for the insertion of the hands of the children for manipulating the dolls and furniture, which not only simplifies the use of the art1cle,,but also providesagainst injury thereto which would result by difficult entranc'e'ofthehands. Furthermore, the manner in which the parts 3 and 2% are hinged to the central part 2 operates to hold the central part in an extended position, said parts 3 and 4 acting as" levers and weighted portions to pull the ceiling portion 6 horizontal and in extended form.

I haveshown in'the construction as an embodiment of my invention the features which I have found most preferable, but I do not confine myself to the particularman j ner of jointing xor hinging the parts which provide a plurality of rooms in an erected toy house formed of cardboard, asthe same generalresults1and advantages maybe secured by 'modifications of the general ina fiatcondition with all drum parts consti-' tuting the top, bottom and sides thereof collapsible so as to lie close together in parallel relation. d V 7 2. A collapsible toy house consisting of three rectangular framesopen at each end and 'connectedtogether to provide. a plurality of rooms in the same horizontal plane,

said frames arranged to foldinto aflat con dition with all of. the parts constituting the top, bottom and sides thereof collapsible so as to lie close together in parallel relation, and in whichthe middle frame has its top and bottom partsfformed withh'inge portions in their middle, *whereby these parts each fold upon themselves when the side parts are brought together.

3. The invention according to "claim2, wherein the top of the middle frame is provided with alraised roof portion normally formed 'in inverted V, shape, and'which is' also adapted to be collapsed withfsaid roof portion folded upon'itself as in the'case of the top and bottom parts of said middle frame. r" e "4. The invention "according to'claim 3, wherein the roof portion of themiddle frame is provided with, an, apertureat the ridge part thereof and combined with a vertical detachable chimney portion arranged to extend through the aperture and at its inner" end resting upon the top part ofthe middle frame. V

5. The invention according to claim 2, wherein the outer rectangular frames are formed as collapsible trapezoids and swing toward each other and upon the middle collapsible frame.

6. A collapsible toy house consisting of three rectangular frames open at each end and connected together to provide a plurality of rooms in the same horizontal plane, said frames arranged to fold into a fiat condition with all of the parts constituting the top, bottom and sides thereof collapsible so as to lie close together in parallel relation, and in which the outer sides of the two end frames are provided with brace parts hinged thereto and having interlocking portions engaging the upper parts of said frames when opened in erected form.

7. A rectangular collapsible toy house structure, comprising a strip of cardboard bent into rectangular form with hinge portions at each corner and open at each end,

the top and bottom parts also creased along their middle portions so that they may each be folded upon itself and the sides brought together, said structure also having a roof formed of cardboard of inverted V form having its edges united to the sides of the structure and adapted to fold upon itself when the structure is collapsed.

8. A collapsible toy house, consisting of a plurality of rectangular boX-like frames permanently open at opposite ends, said frames connected together side by side to provide a plurality of integrally united rooms in the same horizontal alinement, each of said frames arranged to fold into a fiat condition and in which all of the parts constituting the top, bottom and sides of the plurality of box-like frames are collapsible so as to lie close together in parallel relation.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

HOBART DE LANCEY RAPSON. 

